Dubai Design District and Arab Fashion Council announce a strategic partnership

Dubai, UAE: 23 June 2021- Dubai Design District (d3) and the Arab Fashion Council have entered a strategic partnership to empower the regional design, fashion community and cement Dubai’s position as a leading hub for talent and companies in this vibrant sector.

To kick off the new partnership and build on the successful launch of the regions first men's fashion week last year, the Arab Fashion-Men's Spring Summer 2022 will take place in d3 from 28-30 June 2021.

The art and design-focused business district is home to major fashion brands such as Dior and Burberry, regional renowned designers and home-grown startups and creative entrepreneurs. With a year-round calendar of events, d3 has become a vibrant global hub for design, fashion, architecture, art and retail.

Arab Fashion Week-Men's Spring Summer 2022 will commence as a hybrid format. d3 will host exclusive physical activations while the designer's creative presentations will continue virtually.

Designers will premiere their Spring Summer 2022 collections on Facebook Live and Instagram Live, allowing users worldwide to view and pre-order the designer's work direct through Instagram Shopping. 17 Established and emerging menswear designers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, France, Sweden and China have confirmed their participation in Arab Fashion Week-Men's second edition that takes place this month. Showcasing designers are: Amato, Valette Studio, Zardouz, EGOnlab, Emergency Room, Todd Hessert, Louis Gabriel Nouchi, Yasqueen, Lazoschmidl, 1886, Tommazo, Proud Angeles, Behnoode, Arturo Obergo and Anomalous.

“As a global destination for creativity, art and design, we are delighted to partner with the Arab Fashion Council and bring the Arab Fashion Week to the local and regional design and fashion community,” said Khadija Al Bastaki, Executive Director, d3.

“This strategic partnership is important for the sustainable growth and development of the region’s fashion and haute couture industries that, much like many other sectors, need to rethink the regular to thrive in the post-pandemic world. We all need to look at creativity from a new perspective and we believe the hybrid format of activations for Arab Fashion Week Men’s Spring Summer 2022 will encourage dialogue on the future of fashion. We look forward to hosting it as we gear up for a busy calendar of events in d3,” she added.

As part of the continued partnership between the Arab Fashion Council and The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, five emerging menswear designers from Paris Fashion Week Men’s, will present their collections at Arab Fashion Week-Men’s Spring Summer 2022. The selected 5 Parisian designers are: Valette Studio, EGOnlab, Lazoschmidl, Louis Gabriel Nouchi, and Arturo Obegero.

Furthermore, 5 menswear Arab designers selected by the Arab Fashion Council and d3 will showcase their Spring Summer 2022 collections at Paris Fashion Week, in a dedicated showroom at TRANOI located at the iconic Palais de Tokyo as part of the Arabs in Paris campaign led by the Arab Fashion Council to promote and export Arab fashion talent to the world. The selected designers are sustainable labels Roni Helou and Emergency Room Beirut, Zaid Farouki, Proud Angeles and 1886 (supported by the Saudi Style Council).

“Fashion is an extraordinary field of dialog and of experimentation. It is not just dressing. It expresses values, an identity. It connects people. A new generation of talents is bringing a new view and shaping a better future. They combine sustainability, respect and inclusivity with an incredible creativity in their collections. Their distinctive aesthetics accurately reflects the current need of poetry and emotion.” said Serge Carreira, Head of Emerging Brands Initiative, The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.

Arab Fashion Week-Men’s Spring Summer 2022 is powered by the Arab Fashion Council and d3’s shared commitment to the principles of equality and progress across the region to boost the creative economy sector and nurture the growth of the regional talent with Dubai as the epicentre of the fashion industry in the Middle East.

“The Arab Fashion Council is thrilled to join forces with the Dubai Design District as its strategic partner and is pleased to announce the region’s first and only design district, d3, as Arab Fashion Week’s new landmark home. Together, we are committed to continually providing the creative industry with a world-class platform to showcase their talent and to attract international brands to benefit from the unprecedented market opportunities that exist in Dubai and the region,” said Jacob Abrian, Founder & CEO, The Arab Fashion Council.

The official schedule is now published on the Arab Fashion Week website: www.arabfashionweek.com